On Sep 5, 1:17*pm, Mxsmanic wrote:
paddy_nyr writes:
A 35 year old "well dressed businessman" was arrested yesterday when he
refused to turn off his laptop for the final approach of his Qantas flight.
The passenger was on board flight QF418 from Melbourne to Sydney and
apparently found whatever he was doing on his laptop to be more important
than listening to flight attendant requests.

Upon landing, all passengers were told to stay seated while the Australian
counter terrorist first response force arrived, taking the man into custody.

Witnesses report seeing the man being interrogated by 6 armed police
officers in the airport terminal, but he was later released with no charges
filed against him.

The only statement Qantas made, was that a male passenger had failed to
comply with a captain's directive. Let this be a lesson to everyone; listen
to the flight attendant, and turn off your laptop when you are told to.
There may be no evidence to confirm that a laptop will interfere with flight
controls, but a 4 pound laptop can become a cabin projectile when the
aircraft touches down.

That's certainly true, but a laptop will still be a cabin projectile even when
it is turned off, unless it is also stowed properly (and how many passengers
do that?).

I do, but of course I don't the money to buy a new laptop if mine gets
tossed and then is broken.

M. Graham